In her first major public address since conceding the 2024 presidential election to Donald Trump, Vice President Kamala Harris delivered an impassioned call to action for young Americans. Speaking at Prince George’s Community College in Maryland on Tuesday, Harris challenged the next generation to “stay in the fight” and remain committed to pushing for positive change, even in the face of electoral disappointment.
The vice president’s speech came as Democrats grapple with the fallout of their unexpectedly sweeping defeat in November, which saw Republicans regain control of the White House and both chambers of Congress. One of the most bitter pills for the party to swallow was a significant erosion of support among younger voters – a key Democratic constituency that Harris worked hard to mobilize during her high-energy 107-day campaign.
A Call to Carry Forward the Struggle
Undeterred by the electoral setback, Harris sought to inspire and uplift the students, recent graduates, volunteers and apprentices in attendance. She urged them to remember that the fight for progress stretches back nearly 250 years in American history, driven by successive generations who refused to sit idly by while the nation’s highest ideals came under assault.
“Generation after generation, it has been driven by those who love our country, cherish its ideals and refuse to sit passive while our ideals are under assault. This fight now, it continues with you. You are its heirs.”
– Vice President Kamala Harris
Harris praised the passion and resolve of the young leaders in the room, many of whom volunteered countless hours for her campaign. She expressed confidence that their continued engagement and activism would chart the nation’s path to a brighter, more just and equitable future.
Rallying Youth Around Shared Values
During her hard-fought campaign, Harris emerged as a galvanizing figure for many young liberals, especially women, motivated by her fierce advocacy for reproductive rights and forceful stances on climate action, gun safety, and racial justice. These issues resonated deeply on the college campuses and in the activist circles where Harris focused much of her grassroots outreach.
In a subtle nod to a viral social media meme that greeted her entry into the race, Harris smiled broadly as she reminded the crowd to remember the context in which they exist. “Yeah, I did that,” she said to laughter and cheers, a knowing reference to the coconut tree emojis that flooded online feeds last year.
The vice president also took a moment to address the nation’s latest tragic school shooting in Madison, Wisconsin, where a 15-year-old gunman took his own life after killing three others on Monday. Harris said the incident underscored the urgent need to “renew our commitment to end the horror of gun violence, both mass shootings and everyday gun violence that touches so many communities.”
Inspiring Words from State Leaders
Harris was introduced at the event by an array of Maryland Democratic leaders who embody the diversity and dynamism she hoped to bring to Washington. Lieutenant Governor Aruna Miller shared her story of immigrating from India at age 7 and rising to become the first woman of color and immigrant to hold statewide office. Governor Wes Moore, the state’s first Black chief executive, told the crowd of aspiring young trailblazers, “You were never in a room because of someone’s social experiment… You were in that room because you belong there.”
But it was the presence of Senator-elect Angela Alsobrooks that offered perhaps the most poignant ray of hope. Alsobrooks will make history in January as the first African-American politician to represent Maryland in the U.S. Senate. Her groundbreaking victory was one of the few bright spots for Democrats in an otherwise gloomy election night.
“[Vice President Harris] is the consummate reminder of the two things that you should never be told: that you’re too young or nobody’s ever done it.”
– Senator-elect Angela Alsobrooks
Disappointment, But Not Defeat
Harris acknowledged the sense of despair that has gripped many Democrats in the election’s aftermath, saying she understood those who felt “tired, maybe even resigned” to a bleak political reality. But she insisted that no one could afford to walk away from the struggles that lie ahead.
“Let me be very clear… The true test of our commitment is whether, in the face of an obstacle, do we throw up our hands or do we roll up our sleeves?”
– Vice President Kamala Harris
To underscore her point, Harris cited the long and often arduous battles waged by American reformers and revolutionaries throughout history. From the earliest stirrings of independence to the great social movements of the 19th and 20th centuries, profound progress was often the hard-won result of ordinary citizens putting unrelenting pressure on the political establishment.
Mapping the Road Ahead
As Democrats take stock of their diminished political fortunes, considerable uncertainty hangs over Harris’s own future. Some have speculated that the 59-year-old vice president could mount another White House bid in 2024, although she would likely face a crowded field of Democratic hopefuls eager to lead the party out of the wilderness.
Alternatively, Harris may choose to reposition herself as a leading voice of the anti-Trump resistance, leveraging her national profile to defend besieged Democratic priorities and keep younger voters engaged in the political process. Given her proven ability to energize crucial segments of her party’s base, she will undoubtedly remain a valued asset as Democrats seek to regain their footing and devise a winning strategy for the future.
For the time being, Harris seems content to let such questions remain unanswered. She made no direct reference to her own ambitions on Tuesday, drawing inspiration instead from the tens of thousands of letters she has received from ordinary Americans in the weeks since her defeat. Their resilience and resolve in the face of adversity left the vice president feeling hopeful for the nation’s future – and determined not to let their voices go unheard.
“I challenge you to come back ready. Ready to chart our path to the future, chin up, shoulders back, forever impatient for change.”
– Vice President Kamala Harris
Harris praised the passion and resolve of the young leaders in the room, many of whom volunteered countless hours for her campaign. She expressed confidence that their continued engagement and activism would chart the nation’s path to a brighter, more just and equitable future.
Rallying Youth Around Shared Values
During her hard-fought campaign, Harris emerged as a galvanizing figure for many young liberals, especially women, motivated by her fierce advocacy for reproductive rights and forceful stances on climate action, gun safety, and racial justice. These issues resonated deeply on the college campuses and in the activist circles where Harris focused much of her grassroots outreach.
In a subtle nod to a viral social media meme that greeted her entry into the race, Harris smiled broadly as she reminded the crowd to remember the context in which they exist. “Yeah, I did that,” she said to laughter and cheers, a knowing reference to the coconut tree emojis that flooded online feeds last year.
The vice president also took a moment to address the nation’s latest tragic school shooting in Madison, Wisconsin, where a 15-year-old gunman took his own life after killing three others on Monday. Harris said the incident underscored the urgent need to “renew our commitment to end the horror of gun violence, both mass shootings and everyday gun violence that touches so many communities.”
Inspiring Words from State Leaders
Harris was introduced at the event by an array of Maryland Democratic leaders who embody the diversity and dynamism she hoped to bring to Washington. Lieutenant Governor Aruna Miller shared her story of immigrating from India at age 7 and rising to become the first woman of color and immigrant to hold statewide office. Governor Wes Moore, the state’s first Black chief executive, told the crowd of aspiring young trailblazers, “You were never in a room because of someone’s social experiment… You were in that room because you belong there.”
But it was the presence of Senator-elect Angela Alsobrooks that offered perhaps the most poignant ray of hope. Alsobrooks will make history in January as the first African-American politician to represent Maryland in the U.S. Senate. Her groundbreaking victory was one of the few bright spots for Democrats in an otherwise gloomy election night.
“[Vice President Harris] is the consummate reminder of the two things that you should never be told: that you’re too young or nobody’s ever done it.”
– Senator-elect Angela Alsobrooks
Disappointment, But Not Defeat
Harris acknowledged the sense of despair that has gripped many Democrats in the election’s aftermath, saying she understood those who felt “tired, maybe even resigned” to a bleak political reality. But she insisted that no one could afford to walk away from the struggles that lie ahead.
“Let me be very clear… The true test of our commitment is whether, in the face of an obstacle, do we throw up our hands or do we roll up our sleeves?”
– Vice President Kamala Harris
To underscore her point, Harris cited the long and often arduous battles waged by American reformers and revolutionaries throughout history. From the earliest stirrings of independence to the great social movements of the 19th and 20th centuries, profound progress was often the hard-won result of ordinary citizens putting unrelenting pressure on the political establishment.
Mapping the Road Ahead
As Democrats take stock of their diminished political fortunes, considerable uncertainty hangs over Harris’s own future. Some have speculated that the 59-year-old vice president could mount another White House bid in 2024, although she would likely face a crowded field of Democratic hopefuls eager to lead the party out of the wilderness.
Alternatively, Harris may choose to reposition herself as a leading voice of the anti-Trump resistance, leveraging her national profile to defend besieged Democratic priorities and keep younger voters engaged in the political process. Given her proven ability to energize crucial segments of her party’s base, she will undoubtedly remain a valued asset as Democrats seek to regain their footing and devise a winning strategy for the future.
For the time being, Harris seems content to let such questions remain unanswered. She made no direct reference to her own ambitions on Tuesday, drawing inspiration instead from the tens of thousands of letters she has received from ordinary Americans in the weeks since her defeat. Their resilience and resolve in the face of adversity left the vice president feeling hopeful for the nation’s future – and determined not to let their voices go unheard.
“I challenge you to come back ready. Ready to chart our path to the future, chin up, shoulders back, forever impatient for change.”
– Vice President Kamala Harris
